The Centre for Digital Finance aspires to be a global leader in understanding the complex interrelationship between finance and emerging transformational technologies.
Digital Finance is the application of cutting-edge computer technologies to financial problems and products. These technologies include: Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, Agent Based Simulation Models, Natural Language Processing, Big Data and Post-time-series Statistical Analysis. Transformative changes in financial technology range from the emergence of an alternative virtual money (cryptocurrencies) and the direct, internet-mediated access to investors' capital (crowdfunding), to the explosion of new data types (e.g., social media, text) and new analytical techniques (Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing). These changes trigger shifts in industry practice and they can both empower and subjugate consumers. Bitcoin cryptocurrency is one type of financial instrument that is built on the Blockchain. Another fast-growing Blockchain technology is Decentralised Finance (DeFi). This automates financial functions (distributed applications or "dApps") that were historically the preserve of banks and other financial institutions. Digital Finance has the same objective as traditional time series econometric analysis but use different tools. Digital Finance's empirical tools have roots in computer science. In some settings, Digital Finance complements the econometric approach. While much Digital Finance research finds a home in finance and economics journals, a good deal of it is published in Information Systems or Operations Research journals, which are receptive to research on the effects of technology on business and finance. Digital Finance provides a set of new, post-time-series, statistical tools for analysing irregular high frequency data. Digital Finance draws together researchers from different academic backgrounds for collaborative research and innovation for the purpose of gaining deeper insights into financial system dynamics. We also work with industry partners to develop solutions for contemporary business problems.
The Centre’s members come from a variety of academic disciplines and it aims to foster a deeper understanding and awareness of the complex inter-relationship between business and technology through research, consultancy and education.
If you would like to receive more information about the Centre for Digital Finance please contact the centre directors:
Professor Frank Mc Groarty - Professor of Computational Finance and Investment Analytics within Southampton Business School at the University of Southampton.
Professor Simon Wolfe - Professor of Banking and Finance within Southampton Business School at the University of Southampton.
Dr Larisa Yarovaya - Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Southampton.